customer threatening to "nail" us on social media?
Discussion
interesting one has cropped up at work,
as some of you may know I run a small taxi company up in Glasgow, we had a booking from a customer last night out of our regular area which whilst not unusual certainly merits follow up before dispatching a car for.
we tried to call the customer 4 hours before their booking to no answer so followed up with a text which was not replied to,
naturally when we didn't receive a reply to our request that the customer still required a cab we cancelled the booking and assigned the driver to other bookings. The customer eventually replied to us 5 minutes before his booking was due(bear in mind we're 40 minutes away that he still required a cab so we explained that due to not getting a reply we hadn't dispatched a vehicle as there was no way to know the cab was required and it wasn't a prepaid booking (or a customer who had used us before ).
cue a string of texts and emails from the customer stating that we're getting "nailed" on social media.
first thought was obviously the PH standard of popping round his house with the frozen sausages seeing as he had kindly supplied his address but that's not exactly a professional response, and it twas a tad cold last night. how would you guys and girls deal with someone like this, so far I've remained very polite and just reiterated the point that we had no confirmation that his cab was still required and were unwilling to dispatch a driver to a potential no show. but i'm very aware of the damage even one angry person can do to a companies reputation on social media.
thoughts please PH
as some of you may know I run a small taxi company up in Glasgow, we had a booking from a customer last night out of our regular area which whilst not unusual certainly merits follow up before dispatching a car for.
we tried to call the customer 4 hours before their booking to no answer so followed up with a text which was not replied to,
naturally when we didn't receive a reply to our request that the customer still required a cab we cancelled the booking and assigned the driver to other bookings. The customer eventually replied to us 5 minutes before his booking was due(bear in mind we're 40 minutes away that he still required a cab so we explained that due to not getting a reply we hadn't dispatched a vehicle as there was no way to know the cab was required and it wasn't a prepaid booking (or a customer who had used us before ).
cue a string of texts and emails from the customer stating that we're getting "nailed" on social media.
first thought was obviously the PH standard of popping round his house with the frozen sausages seeing as he had kindly supplied his address but that's not exactly a professional response, and it twas a tad cold last night. how would you guys and girls deal with someone like this, so far I've remained very polite and just reiterated the point that we had no confirmation that his cab was still required and were unwilling to dispatch a driver to a potential no show. but i'm very aware of the damage even one angry person can do to a companies reputation on social media.
thoughts please PH
Write him a letter stating that you felt you had taken all reasonable steps to confirm the booking but that he had failed to respond.
Then state that if he proceeds to defame you and/or your business by any means, then you will be placing the matter in the hands of your solicitors.
Don't get involved in any sort of mutual slanging match over the internet/social media (as he is threatening to do).
Then state that if he proceeds to defame you and/or your business by any means, then you will be placing the matter in the hands of your solicitors.
Don't get involved in any sort of mutual slanging match over the internet/social media (as he is threatening to do).
For the future you should implement a confirmation procedure which clarifies for customers that unconfirmed bookings will not be fulfilled.
Also, don't overestimate the effect negative reviews have on taxi companies. Check out the companies in your area. None DON'T have bad reviews including companies you know to be very successful. Bad internet review? Who cares? Doesn't lose you (or anyone else) any business.
Also, don't overestimate the effect negative reviews have on taxi companies. Check out the companies in your area. None DON'T have bad reviews including companies you know to be very successful. Bad internet review? Who cares? Doesn't lose you (or anyone else) any business.
Edited by drainbrain on Sunday 17th December 16:29
hairyben said:
TBF the customer could have been somehow uncontactable till 5 minutes before he was expecting the pick up he thought was organised, at the opera, in surgery etc there's a million permutations.
what he said.....I would be pretty pissed if a taxi company cancelled my booking just because I had the audacity to not be able to answer my phone for a few hours.
Sorry, but I think you (op) are doing a good job of "nailing" yourself........
brman said:
hairyben said:
TBF the customer could have been somehow uncontactable till 5 minutes before he was expecting the pick up he thought was organised, at the opera, in surgery etc there's a million permutations.
what he said.....I would be pretty pissed if a taxi company cancelled my booking just because I had the audacity to not be able to answer my phone for a few hours.
Sorry, but I think you (op) are doing a good job of "nailing" yourself........
I live out in the sticks about 25 mins from civilisation and at this time of the year if I'm looking to be somewhere in town for a Christmas thing then I need to book a taxi and certainly am not "known" to any of the companies.
I'd be mightily pee'd off if the car didn't turn up because you couldn't get hold of me to confirm something that I had already confirmed by booking in the first place.
renmure said:
brman said:
hairyben said:
TBF the customer could have been somehow uncontactable till 5 minutes before he was expecting the pick up he thought was organised, at the opera, in surgery etc there's a million permutations.
what he said.....I would be pretty pissed if a taxi company cancelled my booking just because I had the audacity to not be able to answer my phone for a few hours.
Sorry, but I think you (op) are doing a good job of "nailing" yourself........
I live out in the sticks about 25 mins from civilisation and at this time of the year if I'm looking to be somewhere in town for a Christmas thing then I need to book a taxi and certainly am not "known" to any of the companies.
I'd be mightily pee'd off if the car didn't turn up because you couldn't get hold of me to confirm something that I had already confirmed by booking in the first place.
But then I don't run a taxi company so don't know how these things normally work, I've never been asked for confirmation before though.
Do you get a lot of no shows?
Our local taxi company is a little difficult. If they are being asked to go out of area for a pickup they will ask you to either pre-pay at the office, over the phone, or if they are dropping you off too, you have to pay both ways at drop off....
In general they are a pain in the arse and I look forward to Uber...
In general they are a pain in the arse and I look forward to Uber...
k him rhen 
Was it unusual that they chose your company? Are there more local firms? Do you know if the planned drop off was nearer your office?
Sounds like a pretty poor move on your part tbh, could have left the customer in a really difficult position (transport arrangements, family or appointment).
I'd let them have their rant on social media and just be humble about it, accept that you could have handled the situation better (i.e. dispatched a can and continued to try calling them whilst en route).
Sounds like a pretty poor move on your part tbh, could have left the customer in a really difficult position (transport arrangements, family or appointment).
I'd let them have their rant on social media and just be humble about it, accept that you could have handled the situation better (i.e. dispatched a can and continued to try calling them whilst en route).
It sounds as if you have a very good response to his complaint.
If he posts in trip advisor or wherever, then you can respond factually and make the point that the is the first complaint of this nature you have received, that you repeatedly tried to contact him and that you noticed that your texts had been read. Be polite, do not slag the guy, merely say that while you regrets his inconvenience you had tried every which way to contact him to no avail
If he posts in trip advisor or wherever, then you can respond factually and make the point that the is the first complaint of this nature you have received, that you repeatedly tried to contact him and that you noticed that your texts had been read. Be polite, do not slag the guy, merely say that while you regrets his inconvenience you had tried every which way to contact him to no avail
mcg_ said:
x4.
But then I don't run a taxi company so don't know how these things normally work, I've never been asked for confirmation before though.
I have a number of times, depending on location and type of booking I've had phone calls to confirm. But then I don't run a taxi company so don't know how these things normally work, I've never been asked for confirmation before though.
I booked an Uber once from a slightly remote hotel and missed a call, then a text from the driver saying his sat nav didn't recognise the postcode, unfortunately by the time i saw it some 15 mins later he had cancelled the booking.
Not read all the replies but Id be fuming with you...
Put yourself in a similar position, you arrange a taxi to pick up your Mrs and kids from some silly thing they've been at all day whilst you've been out with the lads. Then you find out late at night after a couple beers that the taxi company has left your Mrs and kids on the side of the road because you havent picked up a call or replied to some silly text you weren't expecting...
Regardless of whether the guy read the message and didnt reply etc, the problem has occurred because your policy and actions allowed it to. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a booking you need to deal with this upon taking the booking... otherwise its your obligation to send a car. Id look at taking a deposit for odd jobs and if the customer isn't willing to pay then tell them to stick it...
Learn from your mistake, apologise to the bloke and change your policy going forward to prevent grief for both yourself and the customer who has been let down.
As for the Social media, you need to take this on the chin and keep quiet.
Put yourself in a similar position, you arrange a taxi to pick up your Mrs and kids from some silly thing they've been at all day whilst you've been out with the lads. Then you find out late at night after a couple beers that the taxi company has left your Mrs and kids on the side of the road because you havent picked up a call or replied to some silly text you weren't expecting...
Regardless of whether the guy read the message and didnt reply etc, the problem has occurred because your policy and actions allowed it to. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a booking you need to deal with this upon taking the booking... otherwise its your obligation to send a car. Id look at taking a deposit for odd jobs and if the customer isn't willing to pay then tell them to stick it...
Learn from your mistake, apologise to the bloke and change your policy going forward to prevent grief for both yourself and the customer who has been let down.
As for the Social media, you need to take this on the chin and keep quiet.
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